Gurkha Soldier – 13 May 1945

Never mess with a Gurkha. Not everyone knows this, but then again, many people don’t know what a Gurkha/Gorkha is. Gurkhas were a branch of troops from Nepal who historically served with the British army and now serve around the world. Gurkha troops served admirably during WWI, winning nearly 2,000 awards for bravery serving in virtually every theatre of the war.

In WWII, the Japanese Empire spread through Asia and the Pacific. Americans mostly recall the island hopping and battles over patches of turf like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. The British fight (supported by China and some Americans) against Japan centered around Burma (Myanmar) and was a terrible slugfest in the depths of the South Asian jungles.

The Gurkhas were a major force for the British in the Burma campaign and on May 13th, 1945, five days after victory in Europe, the Gurkhas would face intense Japanese assaults. Lachhiman Gurung and his detachment manned the forward-most position on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

A little after one in the morning the Japanese led a furious assault with around 200 men. The attack was aimed at Gurung’s position as he and his comrades held a hill that would give the Japanese sweeping views and attack lanes to the rear of British positions.

Type-97 Japanese grenade

The Japanese started their assault by tossing grenades into the foxhole of Gurung. Gurung responded by calmly grabbing the grenades and tossing them back. After a couple of times doing this, Gurung’s luck ran out as a grenade exploded in his right hand as he was trying to throw it away.

The blast took off Gurung’s fingers and most of his hand. It fractured several bones in his right arm and left shrapnel wounds in his right leg and face, damaging his eye. Gurung’s comrades were completely incapacitated by the blast, and so the defense fell to Gurung.

He brought up his rifle with his left arm and gunned down the advancing Japanese, even reloading with his left hand. Try reloading a rifle with your non-dominate hand, it’s quite difficult, even without life-threatening wounds.

Bleeding profusely in the middle of the night, Gurung held off sporadic assaults for four hours. As the sun rose, the Japanese assault faded away. Of the approximately 200 Japanese attackers, 87 of them were dead, with 31 of them laying in the immediate vicinity of Gurung’s location.

garrison hill during advancement

Gurung was immediately hospitalized where he would eventually lose his right eye. His right arm was saved, but he lost most of the use of his right hand. He would be awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions.

Gurung still wanted to serve and was allowed to return to his unit, staying with them through the liberation of India in 1947. He retired shortly after to work on a farm in his native Nepal.

Gurung had five children and eventually moved to London where he would pass away from pneumonia in 2010. The Gurkhas again served in nearly every theatre of the world war, earning close to 3,000 awards for bravery.

The Gurkhas were known for outstanding bravery in battle and their use of the fearsome Kukri blade as a utility knife and in battle.

Sir Ralph Turner, a well-known British professor, had this to say about the Gurkhas: “Uncomplaining you endure hunger and thirst and wounds; and at the last, your unwavering lines disappear into the smoke and wrath of battle. Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you.”

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About GP Cox

Everett Smith served with the Headquarters Company, 187th Regiment, 11th A/B Division during WWII. This site is in tribute to my father, "Smitty."
GPCox is a member of the 11th Airborne Association. Member # 4511 and extremely proud of that fact!

It’s my request to all of u to visit my blog also.
I wrote about Indian army.
U all should at least once visit n see my post .
The reason for this as American n Indian army are doing exercises together so it’s our responsibility that we all must know about each other’s army.

That rifle that he used against the Japs was probably an old Lee Enfield.303, They weighed in a 9lb, the magazine held 6 bullets and they had a kick of a mule; I had trouble shooting one as a fit 18 year old soldier I can’t imagine what sheer agony Gurung must have suffered, even loading the magazine would have been an amazing feat,
We were always informed of their great feats and prowess,
We English treated them as second class citizens, if even that, yet they fought for ‘King and Country” with greater devotion than our own, and I still can’t understand why.
They were the greatest fighting force of all British troops

Others have said how much the Gurkhas are respected in the UK – and how they were treated is not one of our prouder moments. I hadn’t heard Gurung’s amazing story before, though. My father told me a tale from the North Africa campaign (Western Desert) of 1942-43, when the advance was held up by a well-entrenched German battery in the hills. The Gurkhas were sent in at night with their kukris and, according to my dad, were seen at breakfast the following morning holding ears, which helped determine their bounty pay. The advance continued without interruption from the German artillery. I don’t know how true the story is…

Great article GP. In Australia one hears about the Gurkhas when the Pacific War is being discussed, usually with breathless reverence. They had fearsome reputations amongst the Allied soldiers wherever they fought together. One of my grandfather’s digger mates’ prized possessions was a gifted Gurkha bayonet.

The most misspelt soldiers of WW2!! They seem to have a wonderful mixture of decency and fierceness. Every time they unsheathe that kukri it has to draw blood and they will cut themselves if no likely enemies are around. It was dreadful that our government would not let them settle in England, and supremely ironic when you see many of the people who come to live in Britain as career criminals.

Yes, the Gurkhas have an a reputation for being fiercesome soldiers. Gurung’s story is incredible. I suspect that they were treated shabbily by the British government because of underlying racism and penny-pinching. The campaign by Joanna Lumley, Pete refers to above, was well-supported by the public and the government had to give in and give them their rights as British soldiers.

I have the utmost respect for Gurkhas. Even Modern Gurkhas are crazy. Did you hear about the story of one who served in India who fought off 30 robbers? Or the Gurkha serving with the British in Afghanistan that fought alone against a platoon size elements of the Taliban?

The events took place a few years ago; I think if you google “Gurkha train robbery” and “Gurkha thirty” you will find articles on it. Simply incredible. On a personal note I have gotten the opportunity to know a Gurkha veteran a few years ago and being myself a former Marine I was truly impressed with their warrior spirit yet gentle and humble manners. I had an older Kurkri from that friendship and I considered that a high honor…

An old serviceman that my father knew who served in World War II was asleep in his tent one night when he felt someone feeling his shoe laces on his boots.

“It’s all right, Johnny (short for Johnny Canuck), go back to sleep,” the voice said as he then gently patted his feet.

The serviceman was wondering what that was all about.

The next morning, he asked his commanding officer and the officer told him.

He then found out why his commanding officer was so insistent that all his soldiers not only go to bed with their boots on but insisted on all tying their shoelaces a certain way.

The nearest German camp as they were advancing was only a few miles away.

And German soldiers as part of the uniformity of the Reich all tied their shoelaces a certain way also sleeping with their boots on so they could get up and move at a moment’s notice.

A few Gurkhas had been brought in to help the Canadians in their advance on this particular front.

Gurkhas who could move stealthily and unseen in the night.

Feeling shoe laces was the Gurkha way of determining whether the soldier in the tent they were in was German or Canadian.

If it was Canadian, the fellow would hear the whisper, “It’s all right, Johnny, go back to sleep.”

If it was German, no whisper.

Instead Jerry (short for Jerry German) would wake up the next morning finding himself dead with his throat slashed.

It’s interesting that the day after the British Defense Minister announced that a contingent of Gurkhas would be participating in the British Invasion of the Falkland Islands 🇫🇰 during the 1982 Falklands Islands war, the Argentinian garrison in the Falklands Islands capital of Port Stanley suddenly raised the white flag of surrender.

I must have heard about Gurkha from somewhere but did not know exactly what/who they were and not curious enough to read about them. Thanks for my education today. I always learn something new here. Gurung’s story is quite remarkable! Glad to hear they finally got the recognition they deserved.

That is so very true, their courage was eximious!
The history of both World Wars is both fascinating and infinitely sad. The heroism and the loss of life is truly unprecedented!
Thank you for keeping the true history alive.

I have come across many Gurkhas in my time here in the uk, even living near one of their barracks a few years back. They are a deserving and brave group of people who have been sadly neglected by the British Government. If ever in trouble, I’d want a Gurkha by my side.

My Dad served with Gurkhas during his time in India, and had great respect for them. He even brought home a Kukri they gave him. But they were treated shabbily by the British Army. Despite being led by British officers, they were always considered to be ‘mercenaries’ and had few rights to pensions, or UK citizenship, even though most served more than 20 years as regulars. Not long ago, (2008) a high-profile campaign led bt the actress Joanna Lumley at long last restored their full rights as British soldiers.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha_Justice_Campaign
Best wishes, Pete.

I can’t imagine why they were treated badly after how much they did, but egos reign supreme wherever you go and in whatever time and place, eh? You Dad was quite honored by them to receive a Kukri from them. They must have respected him greatly!!

One of my grandfathers was stationed in Japan in 1945, and was fascinated by the legendary Gurkhas – most of their units had returned to Nepal, but there were some in the occupation force. He remembered his sergeant telling the men to be very polite, and found the Nepalese to be friendly and very patient about displaying their kukri blades to the gawking G.I.’s.

I know you have read George MacDonald Frazer’s book on his experiences of the Burma campaign…it gives a picture of just how the Ghurkas were appreciated by their comrades in arms…and are still.
I was horrified that it took a public campaign to allow those Ghurkas who served before 1997 to have the right of residence in the U.K….whatever has become of a country whose politicians do not respect the loyal service given so readily.
I don’t know if this will work, but it is a shot of the Ghurkas marching down the Mall in London…my father, a true Scot, used to say that there was only one thing more terrible than being faced with the Ghurkas and that was being faced with their pipe band.

Yes, it did work and thank you very much for sending it. I think the band sounded great!! I’m so glad to hear that they are so honored – they deserve it! I really appreciate you taking the time to come here and contribute to the post, Helen!!

A great story about a very special man. The Gurkhas are held in the highest esteem in the British army. I am also glad to see this as, on my recent trip to the states, I met a man who was very surprised to hear that Britain and its colonial allies was involved in any way in the Asia/Pacific field of WWII. He had always assumed that the Americans did it alone!

Maybe because, as I hear it, the CBI is considered the forgotten war. People like yourself, with your outstanding book help remind people of what happened over there. I know in my school, the CBI was a mere mention and I only learned about Gurkhas from my father – not school. Thank you for coming by, Hilary, always a pleasure to see you!
PS. I did a review for you on one book seller’s site. I’m trying to get my Amazon one published but they say I haven’t spent enough with them yet – go figure!!

It is very commendable how you cover the exploits of both sides and so many countries across a wide theatre of war. It is true some of the bravest and toughest soldiers have been Gurkhas and they are not to be trifled with. This tradition is alive today with the exploits of Corporal Dipprasad Pun who was awarded the Conspicious Gallantry Cross for defending his outpost in Helmand. When you read his citation you wonder why it wasn’t the Victoria Cross.

Nah, stumps me but in it doesn’t matter. He’s alive, his fellow soldiers are, that’s what counts. His family and unit can be proud at the award he did receive. How do you judge these things? That’s for others. Deeds unheralded or heralded are still deeds either way.

As a child I would often hear how fearless the Gurkhas were. They were affectionately referred to as the Gerkins and I can still hear women in the crowds lined up on the footpaths of Sydney, Aust, on Anzac Day telling their kiddies to stand tall and wave when the Gerkins marched by.

Yes, the mighty men of the British army, but mighty in theri own cultural right too. Actress Joanna Lumley campaigned for greater recognition for them in Britain. You have also brought them to light. wonderful story amazing courage in the face of a determined enemy.

I heard about the Gurkhas when I visited Nepal. It’s hard to miss. Many establishments in Kathmandu are Gurkha this, Gurkha that. I watched a live Bollywood-style number at Gurkha Bar. 🙂 I knew of their bravery, but not any specific account. Lachhiman Gurung’s story is awesome! And I didn’t know the Gurkhas were sent to Myanmar. I was at the Irrawaddy last May. Much of its banks is still jungle.

The problem in school education is the most interesting things are rarely told. Really interesting topics, for which you have to inspire yourself. For example the Doughboys. This was not even mentioned in Austria, but I am sure these soldiers are part of the historylession in the American schoolsystem.
If I compare the American and European school system, then history in America definitely has a greater position in the classroom.

I only learned the term Doughboys from my parents and their friends and listening to their music. In school we were taught about WWII basically from a trench-war outlook. We always spent too much time memorizing names and dates for a test.

I first learned of the Gurkhas in my 8th grade world English literature class, when we studied Kipling’s poem “Mandalay” and, consequently, got a little context about Burma, That poem was about an earlier time, of course, and written from a quite different perspective, but I’ve admired the Gurkhas since then, and now have the not-at-all-idealized story of Gurung to admire.